When theFantastic Fourushered in a new age for Marvel Comics, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing, and Human Torch changed how people viewed superheroes. Now, that legacy is following them into the MCU. Marvel has just confirmed the team’s iconic nickname is making the leap to the movies.
Fantastic Four: First Steps #1brings the MCU’s Fantastic Four to comic pages for the first time, officially telling their first adventure as a team into the MCU. As Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben begin grappling with their newfound abilities, they choose to step in and confrontMole Man and his subterranean supportersfor the greater good.
Instead of a knock-down, drag-out fight, however, they end up seeing Mole Man’s side, establishing diplomatic links with his underground nation. Supporting Subterranea’s equal treatment marks their first major impact as a team andofficially introduces the Fantastic Four as the “First Family of Earth.”
Fantastic Four: First Steps #1by writer Matt Fraction, artist Mark Buckingham, colorist Alex Sinclair, and letterer Joe Caramagna
For years, the Fantastic Four have been known as Marvel’s"First Family.“In the comics, the reason is simple - they were the first superheroes of the modern age and are widely beloved, seen as a symbol of human heroism. However, the Fantastic Four are coming pretty late to the MCU, making fans suspect this nickname wouldn’t make it into the movies.
Fantastic Four: First Stepsisset in its own alternate universe, and yet it would still be hard for Marvel to make the"First Family"name stick once the FF inevitably encounter other heroes. Instead, the comic gives it a slightly different meaning,establishing the Fantastic Four as Earth’s premier ambassadors to other worlds. It’s a smart way to keep the iconic nickname that’s still essentially in line with comic lore.
There’s also an argument that the"First Family of Earth"means more in the movie reality. In the MCU, the Fantastic Four weren’t given their name because of the timing of their appearance - they earned it by forging diplomatic links where others would have just seen an enemy.They aren’t just designated as the World’s First Family, they built the concept.
Being Marvel’s First Family Is a Big Responsibility for the Fantastic Four
Being a superhero is never a walk in the park, butthe Fantastic Four have alwayslived in the spotlight, and that’s equally true of their MCU counterparts. The whole world has its eye on the team, and that’s a big burden to shoulder. Scrutiny goes hand-in-hand with responsibility, and even though they’re up to the task, it isn’t easy.
Declaring them tothe First Family isn’t just a cutesy nickname; it’s a title that holds weight. Sue, Johnny, Ben, and Reed volunteer themselves, and their new powers, as the protectors of the planet, and people immediately begin depending on them to keep their word. As Galactus approaches in the MCU, it makes sense why Earth is turning to theFantastic Fourfor answers - as the First Family of Earth, they’ve already volunteered for the mission.
